Overview & Reviews

Originating in the latter half of the 1990s, the Toyota RAV4 was one of the first entries in the small crossover SUV market. Almost two decades later, today's RAV4 is considerably larger than that pint-sized original, but the core appeal of versatility, good fuel economy and favorable on-road manners are firmly intact.

The RAV4 has been very popular with consumers through the years, so there are going to be plenty to choose from if you're searching for a used model. The newest third- and fourth-generation RAV4s are the most family-friendly and come with the most features, but an older RAV4 should still appeal to young families and urban singles in search of a reliable compact crossover SUV.

Current Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 is offered in LE, XLE and Limited trim levels. All have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 176 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is standard and buyers can choose either front- or all-wheel drive. With an EPA-estimated 26 mpg in combined driving, the RAV4 is as fuel-efficient as its competitors.

Base LE standard feature highlights include air-conditioning, reclining second-row seats, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a touchscreen interface and iPod/USB integration. The XLE adds alloy wheels, heated mirrors, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control and sport front seats. The Limited features bigger wheels, a power liftgate, keyless ignition/entry, a power driver seat, heated front seats and faux leather upholstery.
Major options, depending on the trim level, include automatic high beams, blind-spot/lane-departure warning, Toyota's Entune smartphone integration system, a navigation system and premium audio.

In reviews, we've found that this RAV4 gets just about everything right. Its roomy cabin boasts more cargo room than most rivals and provides ample seating space for adults both front and rear. The overall interior design is modern looking, and the Entune system provides useful smartphone app integration, although the touchscreen's virtual buttons can sometimes be finicky to use. There's no engine upgrade available, but the RAV4's 2.5-liter four is refined and adequately powerful. Handling is secure, and the all-wheel-drive system adds further athleticism on curvy and slippery road surfaces. In the interest of comfort, we recommend the smaller wheel options, as the 18-inch wheels tend to have a rougher ride quality.

Used Toyota RAV4 Models
The current, fourth-generation RAV4 debuted for 2013. It maintained the typical RAV4 strengths of carlike driving manners, versatile cargo and passenger configurations and all-around comfort. It's about the same size as the previous generation, but has bolder styling, a more modern interior and some new features. It also has an easier-to-use, top-hinged liftgate instead of the previous swing-out gate, though the previously available third-row seat was discontinued. There have been no notable changes since its debut.

The previous Toyota RAV4 represented the third generation, which Toyota produced from 2006-'12. Compared to earlier models, these RAV4s were bigger and offered an available V6 engine and third-row seat.

In its inaugural third-generation year, two engine choices were offered. A 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine delivered 166 hp and 165 lb-ft of torque, while a 3.5-liter V6 produced 269 hp and 246 lb-ft of torque. Automatic transmissions were standard, with the four-cylinder paired with a four-speed, while the V6 received a five-speed unit.

Three trim levels were also offered: base, Sport and Limited. Base feature highlights included air-conditioning, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat and full power accessories. The Sport added 18-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension and a roof rack, while the Limited topped it off with 17-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power driver seat and an upgraded audio system. A third-row seat, a moonroof, leather upholstery and a DVD-based rear entertainment system were options on upper level trims.

We praised these models for their pleasant driving manners and convenient cargo space, but deducted points for the side-hinged rear gate and noticeable road noise. We also preferred the powerful V6 over the base four-cylinder engine that suffered with its outdated transmission and mediocre fuel economy.

Changes since its debut were minimal but included additional standard airbags in 2007, a slight styling update in 2009 (with an external spare-tire delete option) and a power increase for the four-cylinder engine (from 166 hp to 179 hp). A newly available touchscreen audio interface and Toyota's Entune smartphone apps were introduced for 2012.

The second-generation Toyota RAV4 (2001-'05) was larger than the original RAV4, with more expressive styling and innovative removable second-row seats that gave it truly impressive cargo-carrying capabilities. Early models had a 148-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that came up short versus the larger four- and six-cylinder engines offered by competitors. Toyota addressed this to some extent in 2004 by replacing the 2.0-liter with a larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder good for 160 hp. Acceleration was markedly improved, and buyers could still choose a manual or automatic transmission. Overall, we found this RAV4 to be a fun-to-drive urban runabout thanks to its precise suspension tuning and high fuel economy ratings.

The first-generation Toyota RAV4 (1996-2000) was offered in two-door and four-door body styles, with a convertible version for a brief period. The first-gen RAV4 was appealing to young singles, but due to its narrow width and tight rear legroom, this cute ute was ultimately no substitute for a traditional family vehicle. Advantages included carlike handling, a low cargo floor and a large rear door that made loading cargo a breeze.

User Reviews:

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  My Third One! - 2016 Toyota RAV4
  By Peter - July 29 - 6:01 pm

  This is my third RAV! So far I have had a White 2008 RAV4 LE 4WD, a Brown 2012 RAV4 Limited AWD, & a Gray 2016 RAV4 XLE AWD. Some have asked me why I went from a Limited down to an XLE and my answer is simply, "The cost has gone up way too much." Overall, for the value, you do get an immense amount of amenities for a Mid-Trim Level. I considered the Hybrid but I simply couldnt imagine driving a Hybrid with the way I drive. I did do some comparing before I came back to the RAV4 however. I looked at the Ford Escape Titanium, Honda CR-V Touring, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Limited, Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring, and the Subaru Forester 2.0i Limited. My top 3 in this order were... #3 Subaru Forester #2 Honda CR-V #1 Toyota RAV4. The reason why I stuck with the RAV was simply because of reliability. Now, I did however own a CR-V and Forester before having a RAV and they were great, great vehicles. I liked the RAVs styling the best. Its very... well, RAVVY!!! The thing that I like the most about my RAV is the storage. There is so much storage space and Toyota really thought this through with what a Small-SUV would need. I like everything about the car except for the Purchase Cost, Bluetooth, Entertainment, & Navigation. Personally, Im not a huge fan of Toyotas Entertainment system and navigation. I was apt to miss turns with the navigation and the Entertainment screen isnt intuitive whatsoever. The Bluetooth isnt the best system Ive ever used but itll cut it. Overall, I give my 2016 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD 4/5 stars.

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  Rav4 06 3.5L 2WD after 3.5k miles - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By Calin - July 25 - 5:06 pm

  We bought it for brand reliability, utility and looks. We use to take 10-15 hrs drive roadtrips. Mileage is 16-22 city and 26-30 freeway. It completely depends on how you drive it. If you tend to rev over 2400 rpm when accelerating and over 2000 rpm normal driving you will get low mpg, otherwise you can get the 22/30 mpg. We love it as it is fun to drive at decent mileage and has plenty of space for how it looks from outside. The antenna does not bother you too much. We found the seat cushion ergonomics not so pleasant after 10 hr driving. Seat cushion is too hard and not long enough. A long drive can be uncomfortable.

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  Excellent Small SUV! - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By joe - July 22 - 4:03 am

  Bought this Rav4 in March 2009. Has been a great vehicle. No problems so far. 4 cylinder engine has plenty of power for around town. Great ease of use for my wife. We transport 2 toddlers with their stuff, plenty of room. Road noise can be evident on rougher surfaced roads. Has lived up to my expectations relating to previous Toyota I owned. Seems like this Rav4 will be the same way. Would recommend purchase to anyone looking for a smaller SUV that is well designed and very dependable.

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  You Go Rav! - 2006 Toyota RAV4
  By bob franks - July 22 - 2:06 am

  Agile handling, good gas economy with the inline 4-cyl engine but has plenty of power. Took five hour trip to bring daughter and her new baby home for a visit. Had my mom in front with me, my daughter and wife sat in the back with the baby/carseat in backseat center. Carseat installed easily. Fit our luggage in the well under the rear cargo floor, and filled the cargo area with all the baby paraphenlia with no problem whatsoever. Even with this full load, the 4-cyl had plenty of power for highway driving and it still handled like a dream. Son-in-law loved its rugged look; and we the interior dash is awesome looking - looked at the competitors and RAV beat them all

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  Excellent small SUV with Mid Size room - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By bholabhala - July 19 - 6:56 am

  I have a V6 with beige interior black exterior. The vehicle is unbeleivebly fast and fuel efficient. I am clocking 24MPG (Combined HWY & City) and 29 MPG highway mileage. This is real good for a V6 SUV.

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  If I won the Lotto - 1998 Toyota RAV4
  By boycesd - July 19 - 2:00 am

  If I won the Lotto, I would buy another RAV 4. The 98 that I drive is my second RAV 4. It sits up high but rides like a car. It holds a ton of stuff, including my two big dogs. It can climb a phone pole. Easy to park, fun to drive, a low bed makes it easy to load and convert. Dont bother with an extended warranty, its a Toyota and never needs anything but routine maintenance.

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  Meet my expectation in every way - 2014 Toyota RAV4
  By blao - July 17 - 1:50 am

  After a year and several thousand miles, It is time for a review so others can use as a reference. The gas mileage is as advertised. Average about 26m/gal (mostly highway). City is about 21. Some people complaint about the transmission and the cars power, but it is not true. They must learn how to use eco mode and sport mode to bring out the car true performance (play with shift paddle some time also). With my personal experience, I use eco mode on highway and sport mode on back road or city road. The car has good surrounding view and I love the rear view camera. The cargo area is almost as big as my 1998 grand Cherokee and the rear seats could be folded real flat.

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  MY First Non-American Auto - 2009 Toyota RAV4
  By bill - July 16 - 10:50 pm

  This car has great gas mileage, handling, performance, style. Forget the frills the Chevy equinox has and buy with confidence. When I purchased the car the dealer said see you first oil change. To my surprise that was the only time I needed the service dept. I own 3-5 vehicles for years and this is the first where I did not become friends with service adviser fixing warranty problems. My son and daughter got rid of their Chevy and Pontiac and they are glad they did also. My gas mileage is 24 to work and 28 on trips.

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  Great car: New Style, Drives nice, Modern - 2013 Toyota RAV4
  By gsrav4 - July 16 - 5:21 pm

  I used Edmunds (among other sites for comparison) to help me do research for a new car, before I went out and test drove them. I dislike going to car dealerships, but I can say with confidence that I have improved with how to deal with them. Plus I had done my own research beforehand, and knew what to look at and expect (as well as knowing when a dealer was lying to me). Well here is my review of this lovely car after having it for about 4 months now, and some improvements that I think should be made for the future.

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  great small suv 140,000 and going strong - 1997 Toyota RAV4
  By mes - July 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Rav4 new and it has been a great car. I put lots of miles on and am a demenading driver. The only repairs I have needed are brakestires and a new battery. I also use it to tow a small trailer and have been very happy with the performance. I plan to drive it well past 200,000 miles. It doesnt rattle or shake and is a very sturdy car. My only complaint is that it sometimes seems loud inside, but I think this is becasue of the AWD. This was a terrible winter here (lots of snow) and the AWD performed great!. This is the best erpforming car I have ever owned.